Destination Detroit 2010

Pictures - Day 4

2010-07-17T21:23:00.000-07:00

The Big Day

2010-07-17T04:48:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

Today is the big day-- the day of our community outreach party on Chene St.
This party will be taking place in what was, until yesterday, known as "The Drug Park", but has been newly christened (great word...christened....) by Pastor Steve and our Peacemakers hosts as "God's Glorious Community Park". The students will be working with our new friends on the Peacemakers staff to provide an afternoon of uplifting activities for the community on Chene St. and the surrounding areas. This may not seem like much, but we quickly came to realize, after arriving on Chene St., that this neighborhood is too dangerous for children to go outside of their homes, and too desolate for there to be anything to do but to either sit alongside the road watching cars go by, or get in trouble.

*Pray that the Holy Spirit pervades our every activity today, and that we would be blessed to bear fruit in every good work.

*Pray that God's Presence is thick and tangible on Chene St. today, and that all who enter God's Glorious Community Park will have a sense of entrance into the gracious, redeeming presence of God and will make the decision to follow Christ for a lifetime.

*Pray for our students as they endeavor to share the hope of the Jesus story with the lost, bitter, and broken.

*Pray for safety, as it is always a prevalent concern when working with strangers, and in unusual places.

We are grateful for the gift of joyful spirits that the Lord has given us this week, and we have been blessed to see seeds of the Gospel sown among our new friends from the Jesus House and the Mercy House (the men's and women's boarding houses supported by Peacemakers), and prospered among the students and the adult staff. We are going forth in the power of the cross of Jesus today, and are determined not to give back any ground to the enemy, but to continue to charge forward in the hope that we profess, and in the awesome ministry of redemption that God has placed in front of us.

BECAUSE JESUS LIVES!
-Betsy

Pictures - Day 3

2010-07-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

We had a little group bonding dance party at the end of the day.

Concerning Weeds, Christians, and Seeds

2010-07-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

Today, we worked on clearing a vacant lot in preparation of an outreach that we'll be having tomorrow. At the beginning of the day, it had been freshly mowed: a good way of showing the garbage filled terrain beneath the foliage. Traditionally, the park is considered a choice place to make deals on pot and other sketchy substances. You can imagine the surrounding neighborhood and its state.

There were weeds coming up out of the sidewalk, from among the glass shards and cigarette lighters, and just about any place where dirt existed. Several team members and I got to take a whack at them (literally).

However, among the thistles and other leafy intruders, we would find treasure. One of my friends talked about finding this kind of treasure as "mistaking it for another piece of glass or other garbage, but finding something beautiful". Others might laugh at us for considering small white flowers as treasure. But if only you could see it! Strong resilient blossoms would poke out from out of the lawn like stars resting among a sky of green: a pleasant treat from seeing a wasteland of thorns.

It reminded me of several things.

For example: how on earth could these blossoms find their way to root in the most littered soil I had ever seen? That made me think of the parable of the sower and the seeds. It wasn't one or two seeds that were thrown at the soil in the hopes of producing fruit: it was handfuls and handfuls of seeds. God has given us countless opportunities to demonstrate His love to others around us.

Also, those blossoms were appreciated a lot more given the circumstances. Would we have enjoyed them as much if we had seen them coming from work or school? This joy times tenfold would be a good way of describing the lot after we were done working with it and the expression on the locals' faces as they passed by.

Please pray for us tomorrow as we are given the blessing of time and more places to spread seeds.
Love,
Kaily

Pictures - Day 2

2010-07-15T20:18:00.000-07:00

Dave Collins plans to run for office.

5 Perspective on Day 2's Awesomeness.

2010-07-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

Summary of the Day by Hannah Gadway: So after a breakfast of champions, including french toast and super sausages, we headed out to Peacemakers!! We arrived and were put straight to work painting murals and breaking mortar off bricks to make them usable again. Soon groups were split up, one on a tour to Detroit and the other stayed to finish the murals! After the tour group returned lunch ensued and the brick breaking continued along with some hardcore gardening. Dinner was pizza from Little Ceasars, and the day ended with an awesome worship session with some amazing testimonies.

Betsy: One of the more interesting things today (and this so far week) was meeting some of the non-Peacemakers people from the community. Led by Pastor Jeremiah, Evan Easom, Alyssa, Nick, Brian Samuel and I went around the community to hand out fliers for our Saturday outreach event. We saw some of the roughest places around, including a homeless shelter where bedraggled, forgotten folks were literally strewn all over the road. Interacting with these people, as well as some of the other people in the community was at one time both heartbreaking and encouraging. We saw the initial hardness and resistance and brokenness of people who are so used to being neglected and ignored, but the minute we called out to them, made eye contact, and told them that we wanted them at our outreach event, their faces lit up and suddenly all hardness and resistance seemed to fall off. It was wild. It made me really think about how, underneath the many layers of brokenness and suspicion and addiction and loss, people all really want the same things: to be invited in, and to be told that they are wanted!

Nick Richardson: What an amazing day. After ariving at Peacemakers, I embarked on a tour of Detroit with my small group. It was interesting to see the stark difference between the classes and neighborhoods, but throughout all of it there was a beauty and individualism to each place. After arriving, I spent some time working on the bricks. After this, I left again to pass out fliers for a block party type event that Peacemakers will be hosting this Saturday. Once again, it was an eye opener as Pastor Jeremiah, Evan Easom, Betsy King, Alyssa Winkler and I took to the streets. Most of the time we were accepted and people were very interested in what we had to say. This was very fun, but it was also a challenge when some people were distrusting of us. All in all it was a good experience and I'm glad I got the opportunity.

Alyssa Winkler: WOW. Today was beautiful. Today I toured Detroit and saw a lot of characteristics that you couldn't find just by listening to Detroit stigmas. It's full of beautiful people with gorgeous spirits that don't get the respect or attention they deserve. After returning from the tour, I had a nice chat with my new best friend Larry from Peacemakers (so awesome!!! love you!) and set out with Evan, Brian, Nick, Betsy, and Pastor Jeremiah to take the streets to hand out fliers for our reach out event on Saturday. I'm so excited! I got to meet so many people and put my social inhibitions aside to do God's work while growing closer to people from my team. I also shared my testimony for the first time today during the service and just felt so close to everyone in the room. It was both an emotionally freeing and draining event. And according to a woman from Mercy house, we are all officially Chene St. now :) GO US!

Hannah Gadway: Hey everyone! Thanks for all the prayers, we're all doing great and drinking plenty of water and such so don't worry too much!! :) I came down about halfway through the day expecting some work and worship and maybe some play time, but what i got was so much more. The work was there, no doubt about it, but what really struck me was the testimonies at our church service at the peacemakers church. Hannah Klinkman, Nick Richardson and Alyssa Winkler all (very courageously) shared their testimonies and I admit that by the end of it I was crying and hugging everyone I possibly could. It was so amazing and I can tell this is gonna be a fun next few days!!!!!

Our Introduction to Peacemakers

2010-07-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

We arrived as breakfast was being served in the Peacemakers' main room, which serves as both a cafeteria and a church. Our group split up into several smaller sections, in order to work more effectively. Inside, one group was serving breakfast and pastries to members of the community, while others helped a lady make a quilt. Another group went on a short but informative tour of the Peacemakers' building and the surrounding area led by Pastor Jeremiah. We refueled around noon with self-made lunches that we prepared at Huron Hills before we left in the morning. After lunch, some students began the work on the mural by priming plywood; they also painted signs to advertise a resale store run by the Peacemakers. Other students took a tour of the city of Detroit while some remained behind to listen to tesimonies given by Peacemaker staff members Michelle, Charlene, Tom, Robert, and others in the community, most of whom had recently made drastic changes in their lifestyles and recovered from drug addictions. This was the most powerful event of the day for many of us. Gary took a van of students to the resale store to help organize, clean it up, and use the newly painted signs to publicize the store. We all headed over to the Wagner's house for a delicious meal of lasagna and salad, followed by a lively game of ultimate frisbee and some group planning time.

Andrew and I were struck most powerfully by the sense of abandonment and destruction that was evident on every street corner. Many houses are run down or uninhabitable, and vacant lots are everywhere. It's easy to see that the people here can't find any hope in their own community, but instead have looked to God and found hope in Him. Their trust and belief in His plan for Chene Street is obvious, but is constantly tested by the harshness of their situation. We are definitely excited to be a part of God's plan here with the Peacemakers.

Callie (with Andrew and Brian Surguine)

Pictures - Day 1

2010-07-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

Go Time

2010-07-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

It's the night before the mission trip, and there is some packing left to be done. However, before checking that off my list, I wanted to indulge you with some pictures of our team preparation time at the Lodge.

Right. Now to finish packing. It's Go time!

love,
b-surg

Cross talk

2010-07-13T05:03:00.000-07:00

One of our hopes for all adult staff and students on this trip is each of us will have an opportunity to share the basics of our faith. Many people find it difficult to "break the sound barrier" and share the gospel. To help students verbalize their own faith in Jesus, we've given the students training in a simple gospel presentation format. (if you want to see a version of what we've given the students click on this: http://www.navigators.org/resources/shared/tools/bridge.pdf)

Some people have wondered "what do these kids from Ann Arbor have to say to folks on Chene St.?" What we have is the living presence of Jesus in our hearts, and the story of Jesus coming into the world to seek and save the lost. We'll be trying to tell this story, and share about how it has become our story...we will be telling the story with our words, our lives, our work, and our play. Please pray that God will give us opportunities to tell his story and hearts that are quick to listen to the stories of the people we are working with.

what is on your walls?

2010-07-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

Peacemakers Ministry has told us that they want to help their neighbors lift up their eyes from the trials of everyday street life. Murals can help brighten a day and bring the heart to look at more hopeful realities.

These murals were painted on previous mission trips as Huron Hills and Peacemakers friends worked together to create images of hope, joy, and the gospel.

We'll be working on a mural during this trip. Please pray that God will give our students vision, and that alongside our Peacemaker partners we can create another encouraging picture for the neighborhood.

Chicken Coops for Jesus?

2010-07-12T18:26:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone. Really excited about what the Lord is preparing for us over on Chene St. later this week. This picture is symbolic of the work that God has done there...this abandoned building looks like many other old buildings in the city of Detroit. But now it is serving as protection for a micro-economic effort. It used to be just a broken down building, but now it has become a location for a ministry that is rebuilding men and women through work, learning, and a lot of grace.

Peacemakers has been using it as a chicken coop, producing food and a steady source of income. One of our projects will be to expand and strengthen the chicken coop, so that more chickens can be kept, more people can fed, more workers can be trained, and more grace can be experienced. Thanks for partnering with us in prayer as we serve Jesus, the people of Chene St., and each other.